asked the Minister for Finance whether he will state the number of persons with £200 or under in cash, invested in Free State Loan, in British War Loan, or in Free State Savings Certificates, who are in receipt of an old age pension, and the amount expended per year on such pensioners, and whether he will also state the cost per year of old age pensions to persons with between £200 and £400 in cash or invested as above.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Old Age Pensioners' Investments.
Old age pensions statistics are not compiled in such a way as to give the information required. It could be obtained only by the compilation of special returns involving considerable expense, which would not be justifiable.
Will the Minister state what figures he had before him when, with reference to the Fianna Fáil Old Age Pension Bill, he said that the provision with regard to people who had between £700 and £800 invested in this manner would be an item of serious expenditure?
That is an entirely different question.
I have asked the Minister, and he cannot answer.